American Bulldog Health Testing
The three tests that matter: hips, NCL, and ICH.
The American Bulldog has a set of known heritable health conditions. Three of them are the basis of ABRA's Blue Ribbon health program: hip dysplasia (evaluated by OFA or PennHIP), NCL (Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis), and ICH (Ichthyosis). Both the sire and dam must pass all three before a litter qualifies as Blue Ribbon.
Health testing does not eliminate heritable disease overnight. It reduces the frequency of affected offspring across generations. Breeders who test consistently build a program where the health risks are known, managed, and declining over time.
Hip Evaluation: OFA and PennHIP
Hip dysplasia is the most common structural health issue in large-breed dogs, including American Bulldogs. A dog with moderate or severe hip dysplasia will develop arthritis, may experience pain with normal activity, and should not be bred. Both OFA and PennHIP are accepted by ABRA for Blue Ribbon eligibility.
OFA Evaluation
OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) evaluates hip radiographs submitted by a veterinarian. The dog must be at least 24 months of age for a permanent OFA number. Grades are:
- Excellent, Good, Fair — passable for Blue Ribbon
- Borderline — not passable; repeat evaluation recommended at 24 months if taken earlier
- Mild, Moderate, Severe — not passable; dog should not be bred
OFA results are public. Any breeder can look up a dog's OFA number at ofa.org to verify the score before a breeding.
PennHIP Evaluation
PennHIP (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) measures hip laxity using a distraction index (DI). Lower DI = tighter hips = lower risk. PennHIP can be performed as early as 16 weeks, which is its main advantage over OFA. For Blue Ribbon eligibility, ABRA uses a breed-specific threshold: dogs in the top 50th percentile of the American Bulldog breed distribution are considered passable.
PennHIP requires a certified practitioner. Results are not automatically public but the breeder can share the report.
NCL: Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis
NCL is a fatal progressive neurological disease that affects American Bulldogs. Affected dogs begin showing neurological symptoms in early adulthood: loss of coordination, vision problems, behavioral changes, and eventually seizures. There is no treatment. The disease is caused by a recessive gene mutation specific to the American Bulldog.
A DNA test identifies three possible results:
- Clear (N/N) — carries no copies of the mutation; cannot produce Affected offspring regardless of mate
- Carrier (N/NCL) — carries one copy; will not be Affected but can pass the mutation to offspring
- Affected (NCL/NCL) — carries two copies; will develop the disease; should not be bred
A Carrier bred to a Clear dog produces litters where 50% of pups are Carriers and 50% are Clear -- no Affected offspring are possible. This is a responsible pairing. A Carrier bred to another Carrier risks 25% Affected offspring. ABRA's Blue Ribbon program requires that neither the sire nor dam is Affected.
NCL testing for American Bulldogs is available through OFA (ofa.org) and UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. A cheek swab is sufficient -- no blood draw required.
ICH: Ichthyosis
ICH (Ichthyosis) affects the outer layer of the skin. Affected dogs have abnormal skin cell turnover, producing a scaly, flaky coat that ranges from cosmetically mild to severely uncomfortable. The condition is lifelong and progressive. Like NCL, it is a recessive condition with three possible test results: Clear, Carrier, and Affected.
Affected dogs can still live comfortable lives with management, but they should not be bred. Carrier dogs are unaffected and can be bred responsibly when paired with Clear dogs. ABRA's Blue Ribbon program follows the same Carrier-acceptable rule as NCL: neither parent may be Affected, and at least one of the pair must be Clear if both are being tested.
ICH testing is available through OFA and several other genetic testing laboratories that offer breed-specific panels for American Bulldogs.
How Testing Qualifies a Litter as Blue Ribbon
For a litter to earn Blue Ribbon status, both the sire and dam must meet all three thresholds before the breeding occurs:
- Hips: OFA Excellent/Good/Fair, or PennHIP in the top 50th percentile for the breed
- NCL: Clear or Carrier (not Affected)
- ICH: Clear or Carrier (not Affected)
When both parents meet these criteria, the sire and dam each earn Blue Ribbon Brood Stock designation in the ABRA archive. The litter is registered as Blue Ribbon and the breeder receives one free keeper pup registration as part of the Blue Ribbon benefit.
Health test results are submitted through the ABRA breeder dashboard. OFA results link directly to the public OFA database. For genetic tests (NCL, ICH), the laboratory report is uploaded. Lesli Rose reviews every submission before the Blue Ribbon designation is applied.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both the sire and dam must have passable hip scores (OFA Excellent, Good, or Fair; or PennHIP in the top 50th percentile for the breed), a clear or carrier NCL result, and a clear or carrier ICH result. All three tests on both parents are required before a litter qualifies as Blue Ribbon.
NCL (Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis) is a progressive neurological disease that appears in American Bulldogs. It is caused by a recessive gene mutation. Dogs can be Carrier, Affected, or Clear. ABRA requires that neither parent is Affected. A DNA test from OFA or UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory identifies status.
ICH (Ichthyosis) is a skin condition caused by a defective gene affecting the outer skin layer. Affected dogs have scaly, flaky skin. Like NCL, it is a recessive condition and dogs can be Clear, Carrier, or Affected. Blue Ribbon eligibility requires that neither breeding dog is Affected.
OFA evaluates hip radiographs taken at 24 months and assigns a grade (Excellent, Good, Fair, etc.). PennHIP uses a distraction index to measure hip laxity and can be performed as early as 16 weeks. Both are accepted for ABRA Blue Ribbon eligibility. OFA results are public; PennHIP results are shared by the breeder.
Yes. Carrier status for NCL or ICH does not disqualify a dog as long as it is not Affected. A Carrier bred to a Clear dog cannot produce Affected offspring. At least one parent in each pair must be Clear for each genetic condition, and neither parent may be Affected.
Start Health Testing Your Breeding Dogs
OFA hip evaluations, NCL, and ICH DNA tests are available through your veterinarian. Once results are in, submit them through your ABRA breeder dashboard to earn Blue Ribbon Brood Stock status.